American Comics: The Strongest Villain

Catwoman, although unfamiliar with the man standing before her, was cautious. Who was this guy? He possessed abilities similar to hers but seemed far stronger. Gotham had no shortage of strange characters, but how did someone like him end up in prison? Was it a fluke, or did he have another purpose? As he approached, Catwoman instinctively distanced herself.

Su Sheng stopped and smiled. "You can't beat me, and you can't outrun me either. So, why the hesitation? I'm new here. I just want to chat and figure out the lay of the land."

Catwoman remained silent, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

Su Sheng frowned slightly. "You know how to have a conversation, right? I ask something, you respond. For example, if I ask, 'Are you Catwoman?' you could reply with 'Go to hell.' Then I follow up with, 'Are you Selena Kyle?' See? That's how conversations work."

So, this guy knew who she was.

Not just as Catwoman, but as Selena Kyle, too.

Still no response? Su Sheng sighed. "Fine, let me walk you through it. I ask, 'Where are we?' You say, 'Gotham.' Then I ask, 'Where's Batman?'"

"Batman is dead," Catwoman replied reflexively, unable to resist mentioning his name.

So, it was Gotham.

Su Sheng chuckled. "See? You're getting the hang of this. Batman's dead, huh? What about Bruce Wayne?"

"How do you know Bruce Wayne is…?" Catwoman's eyes widened. How did this stranger know that Bruce Wayne was Batman? She'd only learned recently herself. "I don't know for sure, but he's probably dead too. He crossed paths with Bane."

Bane? So, the infamous back-breaking incident had already occurred. Su Sheng smirked to himself. Batman had a way of coming back no matter the circumstances, like some villain in a cartoon vowing revenge. He wasn't the type to stay down for long. This meant Bane must be ruling Gotham now, just like in The Dark Knight Rises.

"Is this Black Gate Prison?" Su Sheng asked.

Catwoman scoffed. "You seriously don't know what prison you're in?"

"What's the rush?" Su Sheng said nonchalantly.

Catwoman shot him a glare, as if to say, Are you stupid or just pretending?

Ignoring her look, Su Sheng casually turned around and lay down on the cot. His relaxed demeanor puzzled Catwoman, who swayed her shoulders slightly as she studied him. He looked young, no older than eighteen or nineteen, with a boyish face and a casual charm. Just a regular college kid, or so it seemed.

"What's your name?" she asked finally.

"Su Sheng."

The name didn't ring any bells. Catwoman's curiosity was piqued. "Aren't you planning to get out of here? Gotham's under Bane's control. We don't know what he's planning, but it could be the city's end. If we don't escape soon, we might never get the chance."

"How about we work together to escape?" Catwoman proposed.

Su Sheng turned slightly, his foot lazily dangling off the cot. "Work together?"

"Yes." She stared at his swinging foot, her brows furrowing. What is with this guy? His casual attitude was starting to irritate her.

Just as she was about to comment, Su Sheng chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing." He shook his head. Though he didn't have a literal cat toy, it seemed his actions were having a similar effect. "Forget cooperation. I have my own way out. But if you want to leave, I'll help."

"How?" Catwoman asked.

Su Sheng stood and walked over to the barred cell door. He inspected the gap between the bars and then turned to Catwoman. Gripping the steel bars with both hands, he glanced back at her with a smirk.

"Don't tell me you're planning to bend the bars. That's impossible," Catwoman scoffed.

Though Su Sheng hadn't possessed superhuman strength before, his current body was that of an average man, not particularly strong. Catwoman, on the other hand, had trained to be stronger than most men, though her strength was still within human limits. However, Su Sheng had a trick up his sleeve—one he called "infinite stacking."

"Infinite stacking, ten times!" Su Sheng whispered under his breath, feeling a sudden surge of strength flow through him.

With a powerful tug, the steel bars groaned under the pressure. To Catwoman's amazement, the thick bars bent outward, creating a gap wide enough for someone to slip through.

Su Sheng examined the opening, then, as if unsatisfied, he pulled the bars back slightly, making sure everything was perfect. Only then did he nod with satisfaction.

"After you," he said with a smile, bending down slightly and gesturing toward the gap.

Catwoman stood frozen in disbelief.